Miriamsburg.

  A frequent sight since I became a Voyager proper. A far cry from anything I lived in prior to my journey to the cities.

  Clear skies, blue as far as the eye could see. The sun reflecting off the water’s surface, sat firmly on the coast. And yet, it’d become routine, just like everything else. Another day came, more preparation needed.

  I meandered through the streets of the coastal district. Cheap and affordable stores lined every walkway, and it stood as my most frequented area. Not least of which on days like these.

  Shopping day.

  Being able to use Magecraft required a vast investment of money, after all. I couldn’t afford to be heading out into the field without my requisite materials, nor could I neglect maintenance on my staff. It nearly cost me an arm and a leg… metaphorically speaking.

  But before I could even concern myself with that, I had to check in with the essentials. Basic supplies were a necessity. Without food, a sleeping bag, a spick and span backpack, and a few other amenities, any Voyager was sure to die out there. So, I made it a point to spend my first few bits of copper on those first and foremost.

  I always stopped at the same place. A familiar sight, a sign resting overhead from a door on a connected metallic building. Sheet metal from the Zenith era made up its, and many others’, architecture, keeping them sturdy and stable against the elements.

  I placed my hand upon the familiar door, and went inside. Much like the store itself, I witnessed a familiar visage, too. “Good morning, Dorotheos.” I greeted him like I did many other days before.

  He quickly replied, “Ah, Kamba, I figured you’d be coming by soon enough.” He’d just finished setting up the shop for the day, it seemed, various supplies and amenities having been recently hung on the nearby walls and hooks.

  A younger sort, his hair a tad unkempt, colored a dark black, with a face that one could almost assume is unblemished if not for the rather notable scar across his cheek. He almost always wore a thick, leather apron, with a white button-up and black jeans. Considering he worked as both butcher and broker, I could see why.

  Small talk wasn’t often my preferred pastime, so I decided to cut to the chase instead of wasting both of our time. “Rations, two weeks; also need a pack stitching done.” I quickly removed my pack and placed it onto the counter.

  “All business as usual, huh?” he said, beginning to inspect my bag briefly. “Just looking for the normal stuff, are you looking to spice things up today?”

  “Cheapest ones.” He should’ve known better by now. I’m not planning to spend more money on something designed purely for sustenance. I needed to be frugal, after all.

  He sighed, and pulled out two bags. I knew he sold in weeks’ worth, so it was an easy ask. He then continued to try to spruce up the conversation, picking up my bag, and saying, “You should really treat yourself one of these days, y’know?”

  I shrugged in response. “You say this every time, and my order doesn’t change.” I turned my attention back to my reading as he took my bag back towards his workbench, and tended to its wounds.

  I already started to fish out what I needed. Twenty-five copper coins, as usual. I knew them by heart. I set the coins down onto the counter, and kept my eyes glued to the novel in my hands. Flipping the pages away.

  Of course, I still ended up interrupted just as I began to sink back into my own little mental world. The door opened, and I peeked up for little more than a moment and saw another acquaintance.

  Shorter stature, brown hair, green eyes, a cloak around her neck, bandoliers across every inch of her body, and a massive duffel bag that screamed overprepared. As soon as she walked through the door, she recognized me immediately, and gave me no time to avoid eye contact. “Oh, um… hello, Kateri.” She greeted me with a wave, and I returned the gesture awkwardly.

  “Uh… hi, Elma.” We’d been on a Commission before, I’d come on request of her mentor. It’d be difficult to forget the walking panic attack, but if nothing else, she proved competent enough, insofar as she didn’t get in the way.

  She strolled up to the counter beside me, and noticed Dorotheos hard at work with my bag in the back. I tried to turn my eyes away once more, but unfortunately, she continued to open the conversation. “So, um… what have you been up to recently?”

  I wanted to turn away, to act like I didn’t hear her, but when I glanced and noticed her gaze, I couldn’t help it. I felt sorry for the poor girl. And thus, I became compelled to reply. “...Just took care of a month of my outpost duty.”

  I turned eye contact away as she gave an enthusiastic gaze. “I’ve never been on outpost duty before…” She twiddled her fingers in between each other, tilting her head from side to side. “...Is it… fun? I guess?”

  Spoken like someone who’d never been. Three months out of your entire cycle, spent sitting in a stuffy old outpost in the middle of nowhere, doing effectively nothing the entire time. My eyes gazed back down at her, and I couldn’t tell her that cruel fate. The one she’d live soon. “It’s, uh…” I quickly attempted to formulate the best way to let her down easier, but honesty and objectivity were all that remained. “...No, not really.”

  “Oh…” The light in her eyes disappeared as soon as I spoke, and the awkward turns only continued. Pulled by the luster of being a Voyager, and yet unknown to its many realities… I couldn’t help but pity the girl.

  Silence hung in the air. At this point, I struggled to return to my reading, while she bobbed back and forth on her feet. We sat in agonizing silence, as I truly didn’t want to have a conversation with her in the first place. Why did today have to be my unlucky day?

  To my surprise, and somewhat to my chagrin, however, she seemed undeterred by the distance between us and continued to pester me. “What’re you up to today?” She still didn’t stop twiddling her thumbs.

  “Maintenance and supply shopping.” I really just wanted the conversation to be done and over with.

  But still, she pressed on. “Oh, that’s nice.” Bobbing back, and forth, and back and forth… “I actually need to pick up some alchemy stuff from the nearby enchanter’s.” The exact one I go to, I’d wager. “Are you able to do enchanting, Kateri?”

  “No?” The question caught me somewhat off-guard. I’d never practiced in that art of Magecraft. I didn’t dare ask why.

  And yet, she continued on and on. “Ah, I see… I was just wondering if I could ask for some enchanted salts…” Twiddling her thumbs, bobbing back and forth… Click, clack, click from the heels of her boots.

  I sighed. “No, I don’t know how to do all of that.” I felt insulted, but I struggled to reprimand her. She looked like she got enough of it, even if she likely didn’t. The notion of enchanted salts, though, confirmed my suspicion. The two of us frequent the same shops.

  She looked at my staff, a bit scratched up from recent outings. Nothing major, but something I hadn’t fixed in the past few months. “May I ask you a question, Kateri?”

  “You’ve been asking quite a few…” stood as the best response I could muster. I didn’t know what it was with this girl, but she remained impossible to turn away.

  It only got worse as she barely eked out, “Sorry…” Her gaze became affixed to the floor. I sighed, tapping a finger on my temple as she continued. “I-I was just wondering how hard it is to get into Magecraft?” Her eyes once more wandered back to my implement.

  I figured this question had been coming. An alchemist like her would love to make her own enchanted salts and other magical ingredients. Buying them from the pot remained an expensive endeavor, just as going to a Tuner for your own staves or wands or other implements was. And just like how I couldn’t wake up and be my own Tuner, she couldn’t just wake up and be her own Enchanter.

  And this time around, there was no being let down easy. So, I spoke with firmness and truth. “It took me years, and I’m still learning.” I held out my staff, fully palladium and inlaid with a sapphire on its tip. “So if you’re hoping for a cost-benefit analysis, you’re going to have to look long-term.” Therein lies the cold, hard truth. Like any art, nothing could ever be so simple.

  “W-well, I figured that…” I raised an eyebrow at her response. “I guess I’m more looking for a scale of… effort?” Unfortunately, that didn’t help at all.

  I rubbed my hand over my temple, proceeding to rebuke her statement. “I can’t measure that for you.” As pitiable as she appeared, it didn’t stop my ire from rising. “What is this about, Elma?”

  Cutting straight to the point worked, even if it seemed to fluster her. Her beating around the bush stopped immediately, as did her ramblings, and she slowly managed to utter, “I-I um… want to be more useful, I guess…”

  I’d already figured that out. “Okay… why Magecraft?” She already knew Alchemy to a fairly competent level, especially for an Iron Voyager. Other than making her own enchanted ingredients, I couldn’t fathom a purpose.

  “Well, I can’t really swing a sword, and… um…” She took a pause, clearly collecting her disparate thoughts. “...My slingshot isn’t very good, but I’d have the same thing with bows and whatnot…”

  I stopped her as it seemed like she’d continue. I gathered all I needed and rebuffed, “Why not guns?” Even a Miriamsburg firearm would be more than enough.

  But of course, she had a rebuttal of her own. “Well, they’re dangerous, and I could get someone hurt if I use them wrong, you know?” She struggled to make eye contact, now. A deeper reason rested somewhere underneath.

  “You do know that it’s just as easy for something to go wrong, right?” It frustrated me far more that she acted like she had zero clue of the mishaps that plague magic. Those tireless hours I spend reading my tomes aren’t just for show.

  Of course, in actuality, she did. The failures that plague mages, Voyagers and otherwise, were well-documented. She’d even seen a couple on Commissions we’d been on. “I guess I just… want more control over it…”

  Therein laid the illusion. ‘Control’ over anything. A notion that many walk into Magecraft studies with. A malice that I couldn’t be surprised at, truthfully. Just as I prepared a response, though, Dorotheos waltzed back to the counter with my sewn bag, and took the copper I left on the counter.

  I spoke to Elma and Dorotheos once more, “Alright, I’m out.” The shopkeeper gave a quick wave to my current conversation partner and I decided it was high time to take my leave. I wanted to leave the two of them to settle their business, but just as I tried to, I heard that damnable girl immediately turn from the counter.

  “Hey, wait up, Kateri—” I heard her plead.

  And unfortunately, the pot overflowed. My boiling point exceeded before now. “What do you want, Elma?!” I lashed. “You’re a grown woman, figure it out and let me do my shopping in peace!”

  I watched her recoil back, and I could see Dorotheos past her giving me a look I could only describe as judgemental. Elma’s ‘unique charm’ kicked in on everyone, that inherently helpless gaze. No matter how competent I truly considered her, everyone fell victim. Even more than that, though, I once more fell victim.

  She meekly stepped away from me, and affixed her gaze to the floor once again. “Sorry…” Scarcely audible at a whisper, and yet the dead silence sent it perfectly to my ears.

  I stared at her for a solid few seconds. Those green eyes couldn’t even bear to meet mine anymore. And just as I turned to walk away, I uttered, “...Come on, I’ve got other places to be, alright?”

  “A-are you sure…?” She didn’t sound like she was about to cry, so much as defeated.

  I quickly replied, still coming off of my annoyance, “Yes, I’m sure, come on!” At the very least, I wanted to get out of Dorotheos’ hair first. He still stared me down from behind the safety of his counter, even as we left his fine establishment.

  Luckily, she followed me outside and we went on our way.

  “Magecraft is…” I began as we walked down the streets of coastal Miriamsburg. “...a fickle art.” A confusing statement to begin with. “You can’t just… wake up one day and do it.”

  “How did you learn?” she asked, innocently moving past the way I treated her only moments ago.

  Leading only to more complications. Because, of course, I’m partially an exception. “Sort of self-taught?”

  Mages like myself were rare. More often than not, people visited the institutes dedicated to it. Saint Meldron and Miriamsburg both have the largest colleges dedicated to their study and research, which means they both contain the largest volume of practitioners. If not that, they usually procured tutelage elsewhere.

  Common knowledge again, though, as she quickly replied, “How do you… even learn it by yourself?” It’d remained a common question.

  “Usually just buying tomes, I guess.” The ultimate repositories of magic knowledge. Tomes, spellbooks, volumes of magical lore contained in one spot. Older tomes from the Zenith era were often displayed in memory systems on strange devices. Things we’ve yet to fully realize. Ones from the Isolated era, however, remained physical in book form.

  Elma rubbed her chin. “Is that really enough…?” Considering it worked for me, I knew the answer. To her, however, it remained a dilemma.

  “Listen, there’s a lot of fancy words to explain the same stuff.” The best words I could say in the moment. “Some people find it helpful, some people don’t. I didn’t.” I shrugged, unable to elaborate past that. The colleges and things of the like weren’t of use to me. I learned best on my own, and from passing tips. Past the essentials, the world of Magecraft remained my own.

  “Well, which path should I go down?” she inquired. A particular type of person who couldn’t get a grasp without direction. And I didn’t happen to be a teacher, nor a tutor.

  Not to mention another rejected knee-jerk reaction. There only remained so much I could do for the girl to learn. Point her in the right direction. “If you’re really interested in Magecraft, you could try the college here in Miriamsburg, or try and find someone else experienced, but… is it worth it?” The road to mastery wasn’t an easy one at all, no less coming from someone with very little experience. “You’re studying alchemy, biology, you’re trying to be a physician, at what point are you trying to do too much?”

  I felt as though my words ran curt as they left my lips. However, as much as she recoiled back for a moment, she nodded. “Maybe so…” Another crisis averted. She continued on, “I’m just struggling to get any better at what I already do, so I thought maybe… incorporating something new would help.”

  Once more, I felt exasperated. It remained a struggle to get through to this girl with sense. So, I chose to run through the processes. “Alright, first up, you got an implement?”

  “Ah, well… no…” She began to fiddle with her hands again. That answer already embarrassed her in spite of her pushiness.

  But I continued, “And I assume you don’t have a tutor or a tome, either?” I didn’t make eye contact, keeping my eyes out for the nearby store we needed to be at. Considering we were going to the same spot, our little chat would only continue.

  “Mm-mm…” She shook her head. She, too, averted her gaze from me, not even bothering to look for our shop.

  I then tried to drive it home. “And Ray doesn’t know magic, and I’m self-taught and don’t have time to take on a protege.” She lowered her head and stopped walking, now. Sulking, to be more specific. And as much as I didn’t want to bother with her, I didn’t need her ratting me out to Ray and getting him in my hair. “I’m not saying you can’t, but as you get better at something, breakthroughs take more time. Hell, I haven’t hit one in a while.”

  “I know that,” she replied, accepting my words. “Being Iron just makes me feel like… I’m slowing everyone down, I guess.” In spite of whatever competence she actively has, it remained hard for her to see it.

  “Well, I can’t teach you anything in a day, let alone any further length of time.” I had to certainly put my foot down for that one. “And I can’t pay for an implement, either, those things get expensive quick.” I turned my gaze to my own staff, using it mostly as a cane at the moment. “It requires just as much dedication as Alchemy, or any of your other studies.”

  She became the one to sigh as we waltzed down the coastal district. “Maybe you’re right…” She didn’t seem to be moping half as much as I expected. “No such thing as a shortcut, after all.”

  “Are you that desperate?” I asked, as sincerely as I could muster.

  She considered it for a moment or two, before finally saying, “I… wouldn’t say desperate, just more… curious?” Curiosity stood as a much better motive by comparison to seeking power in places where amateurs are punished.

  Not a perfect answer for any mage, but enough to at least convince me in the moment. “We can get a bite to eat, and I can teach you a thing or two, how’s that?” As much as I initially regretted those words, her eyes lit up again. An enthusiastic sort whenever she got going, that’s for sure.

  She nodded emphatically at my proposition, and I couldn’t help but sigh. I’d gotten myself wrapped up in tutelage, just like I said I wouldn’t.

  The two of us strolled across the eastern district of Miriamsburg, until a ways away from us, we could see the obvious familiar sign. ‘Apothecary Anima.’

  The both of us had been here multiple times before, and we knew the shopkeep comfortably. Without needing to knock, the door gave a distinct ‘ring’ letting them know we were inside.

  The interior of the shop stood the test of time. Like many other buildings in Miriamsburg, where the exterior was made of old world metals and stonework, the interiors often were furnished, smooth wood. Multiple lights remained plugged into outlets, and a fan spun overhead.

  Lining each and every shelf were various magical items. From embossed belts, suits, even some armor and weapons, to wands and staves, to magical ingredients. Indeed, in spite of being trained in Alchemy, this shopkeeper also dedicated a large amount of their time to the practice of Magecraft. More specifically, Enchantment.

  We both walked toward the counter, and we could easily hear from the back room, “I’ll be there in a second, just— hold on!” It sounded muffled thanks to the distance and the closed door, but I didn’t waste time and set my staff on the counter. They’d figure out the rest.

  Elma rocked on her feet, casually letting her eyes wander toward things she certainly didn’t need. An implement was no good on someone who couldn’t even wield magic. I elbowed her gently to get the point across that now wasn’t the time.

  She relented for a moment, but inevitably, she seemed to let her mind wander once more, and by extension, her gaze. That was, until, the star of the show burst from the back.

  “Hello! My sincerest apologies, you two.” They looked between the two of us. “Kat and El, what a surprise!” They clapped their hands together, set their elbows on the table, and greeted us with a smile. “For what do I owe the pleasure?”

  Armani Costa. With braided dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, and a face covered in soot and other debris, they looked like they’d been working hard. Dressed in a comfortable hoodie, a thick leather apron, goggles around her neck, alongside a belt satchel, Armani kept herself prepared for any job that’d come their way.

  Their cheery demeanor was off-putting at first, but soon I began to see a certain charm to it. Doubly so since they always gave speedy service.

  They looked down at my staff, a touch banged up, and took it in their hands. “You don’t normally get it this banged up, do you?” They inspected it closer, especially the gemstone.

  “No, not really.” Of course I didn’t, lest I’d be spending about triple what I already do here.

  They nodded. “Well, a bit of time on the grindstone and a touchup on the gem, and I can tune it up real spic and span for you, mkay?” They set it down behind the counter. Had I first met them, I’d remind them to be careful. I’ve soon realized that they function on their own rules and have left it be.

  “How long ‘till I can come grab it?” I asked. Always important to know how long I’d be out of commission.

  They tapped their chin, looking back at my implement, before turning back. “Come back tomorrow, and I can give you an update, but since I gotta tune the gem ‘n all, it’s a bit tough to say.” An unfortunately normal occurrence. As long as it wasn’t a week.

  “Sure,” I replied, before patting Elma on the back to go ahead and place her order. She’d been staring off to the implements again. I didn’t know how she made it through this store on her own in the first place, considering she needed to come here for her ingredients.

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  Armani leaned forward. “What can I getcha today, El?” Their feet bobbed up and down excitedly.

  “Uhhh… one second…” Elma pulled out a notebook, leatherbound, and began to list off an entire laundry list. Unsurprisingly, Armani already knew to have their own paper ready, jotting down one after the other after the other.

  The entire process took a solid three minutes, and for once, I was thankful I didn’t choose to be an Alchemist.

  The shopkeeper spoke to Elma, “I’ll get these whipped up, I should have a good chunk of these in stock, even.” They began to search through their stores, before needing to open the backdoor again. “Just chill out there while I find this stuff, ‘kay?” They scurried into the other room, leaving Elma and I at the counter, waiting patiently.

  Her gaze still trailed off to those implements. The wands, the talismans, the tomes. Until finally, I felt the need to speak up, “You really have the money for those?” I raised an eyebrow. We’d already been over how expensive it’d be to get into it as a hobbyist.

  “W-well, maybe I could get a cheap copper wand, y’know?” She’d been thinking about it.

  I shook my head. “Don’t go making a stupid financial purchase on something you might never use, yeah?” Considering her prior laundry list, I imagined she didn’t have a frugal bone in her body.

  Cautious on the outside, but more than ready to leap into sudden decisions. A terrible combination. She even cemented it by continuing to turn her gaze to it off on the top of one of the shelves.

  “At least learn the basics first.” I rebuked her desires, trying to pull some sense through her thick skull.

  And luckily, she finally managed to pull her eyes away.

  Armani inevitably came back from behind the counter, delivering Elma her requested goods. “All nice and ready for you, Elma. That’ll be a hundred and fifty copper.”

  Already a sizable chunk of change, and unsurprisingly, it seemed like a vast chunk of the money she had on hand. That’s what any Voyager gets investing in a skill like the Alchemic arts.

  The most expensive ones remained Alchemy and Engineering, if one failed to include the practice of Artifice. Magecraft, while technically cheaper than the other two, required far more time to become moderately competent. Martial prowess might appear the cheapest on the surface, but the gear investiture outweighs expectations.

  In the end, all of the ‘arts’ that one could train themselves in required time, dedication, and money to become ‘good’ at. Even if Alchemy and Engineering required ‘more’ than the others, it didn’t mean it had less value.

  After she packed the new ingredients, I nodded my head off to the door and said, “C’mon, let’s go,” and began to walk out.

  Elma waved to Armani, giving her a goodbye as we moved back into the streets.

  Now, we needed to find a place to eat. We ended up scouring up and down the street, searching more for a brief snack than a full meal. Eventually, something caught our eye; a small corner store serving stuffed pastries. Savory and sweet in one place, it seemed.

  We walked to the counter and ordered our own snacks. I decided to pay for both our meals. Ten copper wasn’t cheap, in spite of the exorbitant prices from earlier… but I owed her an apology. And a lesson, for better or worse.

  We sat down at a streetside table, and spent some time simply eating. Taking our time, quietly sitting in the company of the city.

  The coast could be seen from our table, the waters lapping at the shantytown and the rocks that held it up. The pier, lit up with bright blue electronic bulbs across its metallic surface, a few fishers lining its sides.

  Hustle and bustle still dominated the streets. Crowded, but only insofar as it felt… comforting. I didn’t hate crowds. I hated people tagging along. But the quiet acceptance of people around me never bothered me.

  It beat complete solitude.

  Eventually, though, Elma turned the conversation back around to what we came to do in the first place. “So… about Magecraft…” She looked toward me with those green eyes, and as much as I instinctively said those words from before simply to be nice, it was hard to turn back on them, now.

  “Alright, I’ll give you a rundown…” I pulled out some paper from my backpack, and set it onto our table. A pen in hand, I began to draw. Lines, various words, unable to be translated, and completely foreign to the untrained eye.

  Magecraft called for things beyond rigid markings. She watched intently, and I began to explain as best as I could.

  “Magecraft requires two main things.” I pointed to the first crude drawing. A gemstone with items surrounding it, from talismans, to books, to staves, and so on. “Your catalyst.” I pointed to the next, containing words, attempts at capturing postures and motions, and a few small trinkets and bobbles. “And your components.” I drew a line to link the two. “Without both of these, you can’t cast a spell, make sense?”

  She seemed to be following along, but of course, inquisitive types enjoyed knowing more. “Why won’t it work without it?” The ‘why’ of these things is what I wasn’t practiced in.

  So, I had to wing an explanation. “Hrm…” I squinted. Mana, models and theories, and so on… “You know how a lightbulb works?” Conductive metal strips, glass to magnify or dim the light, and so on. I hoped the comparison served well.

  And luckily, it did. She grasped it quickly. “Somewhat, yeah.”

  “Great, so a spell is sorta like any piece of tech in a way. To get it to work, you might have to stand in certain ways,” I added a note that said ‘Gesture.’ “Speak certain things,” another note that stated ‘Vocal.’ “Move in certain patterns,” a third note that stated ‘Motion.’ “Or have specific trinkets outside of your Catalyst,” and a final note that specified ‘Material.’ “After that, the magic gets channelled through your Catalyst, and congrats, you’ve cast a spell… barring restrictions in your reserves.”

  Yes, the background energy that dictated the use of Magecraft in the first place, present in all things. However, it’s finite, to some extent. A person can’t harness the ambient energy very easily, and instead has to rely on giving it form through these various components, and their Catalyst. The best mages use very little, for significant power.

  This seemed a concept she didn’t grasp immediately. She placed an elbow on the table, and her cheek in her hand, and said, “What determines your reserves?”

  A concept I once again knew little of. The biology behind a mage didn’t matter. However, I did know one thing: “Practice makes perfect, you can always train your reserves if they’re low.”

  “And how does that work?” More queries, more things I had little explanation for scientifically.

  I scratched my cheek. “What worked for me was just… I guess essentially channeling a low voltage.” Magic didn’t need an explicit ‘form’ to be conducted. At least, in my experience. “Do that for long enough, and like training stamina, you’ll figure it out. Also keeping healthy helps, too.”

  Hard to explain that one. Quick on the uptake, Elma regardless had issues processing the principles. “I guess that’s something that needs a bit more hands-on experience…”

  “Yeah…” I replied, a bit awkwardly. That’s all I realistically had after a point. The more theoretical principles behind training, the ‘optimal’ methods, were lost to me due to never going to an institute. Not the college here in Miriamsburg, and certainly not the Guild of Magery over in Saint Meldron.

  Just as I fell into my thoughts, Elma spoke up again. “What else can you tell me? I know you’re self-taught and all, so I’m sorry if it’s a bit much to ask, but… I guess I just wanna know if it’s right.” Hard to find an answer to a question you didn’t know the context to.

  “Right, let’s see…” I got myself back on track, and began to go on a long-winded lecture about the principles I understood of my ‘art,’ as it were.

  After components came Catalysts, the essence of Magecraft. Staves, the most powerful; wands, convenient and potent; grimoires, a teaching tool and study buddy; pendants, a convenient addition, but expensive; glyphs, scarcely performing Magecraft at all; embossings, the same as glyphs but for weapons and armor. The varied forms they came in all had their own benefits and downsides.

  As stated, Glyphs and Embossings were scarcely casting at all, the exception to the rule that Magecraft isn’t often rigid drawings. The glyph is cast for the user, latent power being channelled through the item itself, or so I understood it.

  Staves and wands stood the test of time, easily being the most popular choice. Their materials and surface area gave them strong potency, but were considered more affordable by comparison to more complex implements. The spitting image of a mage.

  Grimoires weren’t often seen outside of a student’s hands, but they had their niche. Used to teach new spells alongside allowing the student in question to interpret some principles. Unfortunately, they struggled to meet the power of other Catalysts.

  Pendants were expensive, and yet exceedingly convenient by comparison to other Catalysts. The inability to be disarmed easily, and also a difficulty to lose the item in question made them popular amongst those with the wealth to make them potent.

  But the question lingered on Elma’s mind even as I explained, “How do you make a Catalyst… stronger?”

  Another question I struggled to give a full answer to. I didn’t have a grasp of the fundamental theory. “It’s… mostly in better materials? I’m not sure why it works, to be honest.” I didn’t have my staff for an example, either, so I had to rely on speculation. “My staff is palladium, and it’s got a gem up at the top.” I once more returned to the drawings from prior. “Something about all of this makes it stronger, but I couldn’t tell you why, nor how to make it better past that.”

  “N-not to be rude, but I’m surprised that you're even confused by all of this…” I looked up from my focus, and raised an eyebrow. I couldn’t tell what she meant initially by that, but it seemed she wanted to correct herself hastily. “I mean more so that you seem rather… talented? I figured you’d done some more deep studying…”

  That’s what it was. I looked back down to the paper, but idly tapped the pen on it for a moment. The next best thing to teach ran through my mind as I continued our idle chat. “I grew up in a small village, and got the gist from a grimoire.” I knew the principles, but not the concepts. Everything else I knew came from secondhand experience.

  “I’ve only ever lived in the cities,” she admitted. “But why don’t you go anyways?” She took a bite from her snack, a sweeter filled pastry. Considering her penchant for honey in her alchemy, I imagined she had a sweet tooth even before today.

  I gave her query some genuine thought. I had all the time in the world to go, could even take some time off from guild work to do it. But the coast beyond reminded me.

  “Guess I’m looking for something else out there.” I didn’t want to give her a full spiel. I didn’t need to give her my life’s story. So, I left it at that.

  She accepted my answer. “Well, I suppose that’s just… one of the many reasons to be a Voyager.” She giggled, and I gave a scoff in amusement.

  A truth that all knew in the guild. No two reasons were ever quite the same. “I suppose there are worse ones out there.”

  We both looked back down to the paper, as I got back to ‘work.’ I could still teach a few… passable lessons, I hoped.

  Our conversation continued for a while, trying to get her to grasp the basics of Magecraft before making a decision for herself.

  The classifications: Induction, Production, Revision, Reduction, Distortion and Restoration.

  The rule of complexity, denoting that if something takes longer, it’s often stronger or more complex.

  And finally teaching what I could about the baselines.

  After our lengthy chat, however, it came high time for us to get up and move on about our day.

  However, eager though I was to leave, she continued to trail on my coattails. I tried to speak up to get her to stop, but by this point, she’d already made it clear she wasn’t leaving. And, by this point, I suppose I’d gotten used to the company.

  We walked along once more, finishing our duties as we needed. I finished my shopping, Elma took home a couple new trinkets with whatever change she could muster, and we happily went along her way.

  Now, all I needed to do was update Hoffman, Kamba, and Runa that I’d be out of commission for a while back at the guild. Conveniently, Elma also needed to head that way. So, we went together, strolling through the now thinning bustle of the coast.

  The sun began to set over the horizon, now. We’d been out essentially all day, but I’d packed for the next two weeks’ worth of outings. It only cost me a hefty sum. Not to mention the maintenance costs on my staff.

  I’d dug my grave, and I now had to lie in it, it seemed. As much as I wanted to act frugal, I’d been no better than my tagalong.

  Elma, for her part, seemed oblivious. So much so that it prompted me to even ask, “How do you cope with spending that much money?”

  She looked at me, and with a complete lack of worry, replied, “Well, money’s supposed to be spent… right?”

  Yes, indeed. Money was supposed to be spent. Her mindset made all the more sense after those words, seeming to treat it like an investment rather than a waste. In spite of acting like I’d been so much more experienced, I still had a thing or two to learn from this up-and-comer.

  Our travels eventually brought us away from the eastern district of Miriamsburg, and into the city center. A haven for all kinds of merchants and workers. One of the few places amongst the entirety of Delkhii that felt like it got close to the Zenith era.

  The buildings towered above, lights shining from each and every window. Buildings connected to each other through makeshift bridges in between, and in spite of the hour causing the coast to wind down, this place remained as lively as ever.

  It always gave me whiplash coming here. A far cry from my village, but I don’t know what was worse. Never having had the knowledge of all of this, or becoming more used to its oppressive atmosphere.

  Perhaps I was too cynical, though. I didn’t hate the city center. It had its own charm, away from the water’s edge. Every corner and building felt like it had another artisan, ready and willing to work. Research hubs holed themselves in nooks and crannies they could find, testing old world tech. Smiths, engineers, and mages alike all found their place of work here. Decent food seemed the only thing lacking.

  We trudged through the busy alleys, inevitably coming upon a familiar stairwell up a common sight. A spire rose on one busy corner, and upon each of its corners contained a variety of facilities and space. On one chunk of this spire sat the central Voyagers’ Guild office of Miriamsburg.

  As soon as we entered, the atmosphere from outside the city disappeared. From concrete and steel to wood and fireplaces. From quiet bustle to shouts and drinks. Of course we came when it was crowded, I should’ve figured now would be a bad time.

  But it was far too late for regrets like that. We shuffled our way into the cafeteria for our floor, and looked around. As much as I searched for Hoffman, Runa, or Kamba, it surprised me how quick on the uptake a particular Gold Advisor was.

  Ray Alfaro, a name I’d also become quite familiar with after my few Commissions with Elma, waltzed up as soon as she walked in the door. “Elma! You’ve been gone nearly all day, what’ve you been up to?” he asked, a light scolding being more than enough to get Elma to recoil.

  “S-sorry, I was out with Kateri…” She pointed over to me directly next to her, and Ray snickered.

  He turned to me, and followed up with, “Bit irresponsible to be keeping someone else’s student out too late, don’t you think?” I knew a joke when I heard one, but it didn’t help me from visibly grimacing.

  “She was the one who insisted on following me, let’s not get it twisted.” I had to set the record straight on that one, at least. He’d never let me live it down if I had a sudden change of heart, hence why I wasn’t keen on having one.

  But he didn’t press further. Instead, he replied, “I think Hoffman and your pals are over there,” as he pointed off to a corner of the room.

  I gave him an exasperated sigh and a wave to Elma. “See ya around, Elma.”

  What I hadn’t expected was her reaction. An enthusiastic wave back, and a rather notable, “I had a lot of fun, we should go out again sometime.”

  Embarrassing as those words were, I suppose they weren’t the worst. If I was forced to go shopping with her again, it wouldn’t be the worst. Perhaps I could even ask her a thing or two about Alchemy.

  I squeezed my way through the aisles of each and every table, trying to find some kind of path. Every once in a while, from the most crowded table, I’d hear a loud cacophony of ‘HEEEEY!’ ‘OYYYY’ ‘WHEEEY!’ and others, alongside the clunking of wooden mugs and cups. The end of the day was wind-down time, after all, but I wished I was spending it in my room.

  I finally struggled my way through, and seated myself at the table with my compatriots with a loud, exasperated sigh.

  I heard Kamba speak first. “Welcome to the club Kateri, have a fun day?” Her palpable sarcastic tone didn’t amuse me quite as much as it did Hoffman.

  I gave her a silent glare, which seemed to do enough to deter further acts. “Just happened to see Elma and needed to get a lot done.” I laid my head down on the table, and decided now would be good to break the news. “My staff’s gonna be in maintenance for the next few days, so I’m outta commission.”

  Hoffman seemed surprised, replying, “That bad? Thought for sure it was just a little banged up…” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  I rebuked, “You don’t know how to take care of a Catalyst, you dolt.” Thankfully, he hadn’t been the one to mess it up. Common wear and tear happens. Else I’d be far more wrathful.

  Runa spoke up soon after my attempt to get Hoffman to stop wanting to touch my things. “I’ll probably need to head back to Old Yugon here, soon.”

  “Huh?” Kamba looked over. “What’s got you sayin’ that?”

  Our Survivalist and gunman put his trusty pistol onto the table, taking great care to not discharge it by accident. “The trigger’s getting a bit loose, and the barrel’s deforming. Been using it too much.” I couldn’t see what was wrong, but Hoffman could, and I trusted him more with their stuff than mine.

  And unfortunately, most, if not all people in Miriamsburg didn’t understand how to work with the kind of heat Runa packed.

  Kamba crossed her arms. “Which means we’re down two of our usual crew, huh?” Not exactly the best sign in the world. Not to mention, Runa needed to pay for a trip all the way up there. That meant either finding a caravan, or asking us to go.

  Without warning, two Mercenaries waltzed to the table, clad in coats and carrying various weapons. I noticed one wore a fairly large crossbow over his shoulder, while the other carried a massive axe that laid flush across her back. The woman sported brunette hair, blue eyes, and a pale complexion, while the man had black hair, brown eyes, and a darker tone.

  The man spoke first, “Hoffman, what’s up?” He looked over, and recognized the two faces immediately.

  He gave a firm grasp of each of their arms before saying, “Davi, Bianca.” A simple greeting. “I thought you two took that tropics expedition?”

  The man, now named Davi, shook his head. “Nah, we were going to, but our Explorer flaked on us.” He shrugged. “Nothin’ to be done about it, now, I guess, but it means we’ve got some free time.”

  Now Bianca spoke, “You want to go find something fun to do, or are you busy?” They sat themselves down, of course directly next to us, making our already limited space far more cramped than it needed to be.

  Hoffman thought about our conundrum. “I assume you two were looking for a hunt?” More meatheads here to incentivize fighting everything.

  In spite of his attitude seemingly being by-the-books, I knew Hoffman. He enjoyed a good fight, doubly so against larger foes. He just didn’t like killing them. A bit hypocritical, but I couldn’t blame him after the Nephighear stunt.

  Davi and Bianca nodded emphatically, but Kamba soon cut in. “You two’ve got enough hunting buddies, Hoffman’s still not in good shape after that axe to the arm.” She gave him a glare, now.

  Another fact of the matter. His recovery hadn’t finished, Runa even confirming it with a nod. He was fine to swing around his lighter blades, but the moment it came to taking on something larger, that massive blade might as well have been a prop on his back. And no amount of saying he was fine was going to change Runa’s mind on that one, nor Kamba’s.

  “Well, what the heck are you all doing otherwise? I hope not just sitting here,” said Bianca, now putting her elbows onto the table to lean forward.

  I interjected first, “Waiting for my staff to get fixed.”

  Then followed Runa, “Needing to get my gun repaired in Old Yugon.”

  Next came Kamba, who shrugged. “Can’t do a lot without a team at my back.”

  And finally, Hoffman, who sighed. “Considering this arm is taking a bit longer than I expected, it’s best I let it rest.”

  The two new additions let out their own sighs, before Davi turned his attention to Runa. “You said you needed to pop up to Old Yugon, no?”

  He nodded, and Bianca spoke to all of us. “We could all go, no? Make it a big trip.” She even sweetened the idea by stating, “Strength in numbers and all that?”

  I rebuffed once more, “Why would you want to go to Old Yugon, anyway?” Cold, lifeless expanse of snow and ice.

  “There’s no shortage of things to do up there,” said Davi, pointing over to the Commission board behind us. “Unlike here.” While it still had a fair amount on it, some of them ended up being rather low on the totem pole. Simple stuff, the kind of stuff Ray would love bringing Elma along for.

  Yes, indeed, the issue of being stationed in such a hustling, bustling city reared its ugly head more often than not. It had its upsides, sure, one of them being right in front of us. Impossible to be without teammates, at least.

  But never getting work, debatably, stood as a tougher hurdle to overcome.

  I sighed, “Yeah, but why not go to New Apulon? It’s just as crowded in Yugon as it is here.” Considering they consolidated the most people, their halls looked fairly similar from what I’d heard.

  Kamba shot back at me, though. “Every time you say something like that, I’m surprised you turned down the chance to stay in the quiet little streets of Saint Meldron.” She gave a smirk, and I groaned.

  “Shut it.” I’d heard her say those words a million times over, now, and I’d hear them a million times over again. A prickling barb of a woman, more than ready to reprimand for not doing things by the books, but then acts like my friend.

  Runa finally added his two cents. “If it’s more help to go to Old Yugon, I’m more than willing to take it.” He placed his pistol back into his holster, securing it with its top belt. “Who’s willing to come with me?”

  Hoffman, Davi, and Bianca understandably raised their hands, and while Kamba hesitated for a brief moment, she folded, too. I placed my head onto the table, cheek-first, and muttered, “Can I at least get my staff back?”

  Runa smiled out of pity more than anything else. “We’d have to take a few days to get ready beforehand, so if it’s ready in time, I don’t mind.”

  I gave a thumbs-up to acknowledge his words. A few days to get ready for a trip up to Old Yugon, I assumed we would be following the outskirts of the Mystbog before heading into the Wyrdwud. Not the most treacherous route, but everything up there felt treacherous by comparison to the Meadows or Bisitan.

  Maybe it’d be a nice change of pace. Heck, maybe we’d be able to catch one of their numerous holidays. Considering how dreary it often was up there, they needed them.

  I kept my head on the table after we finalized that we’d all, most definitely, be heading off to Old Yugon. I couldn’t imagine needing to make a trek like that just to repair a sidearm, but then again, I didn’t have to rely on them. And more importantly than that, the extra firepower helped. Against bigger targets, sure, but it seemed especially handy at dealing with smaller targets. Smaller Bestials, Saurids, and so on, one shot from it and they seemed to be having a bad day.

  So, I elected to keep my mouth shut and while away the time we sat here.

  As the sun continued to set, the lights dimmed slowly, and the people cleared out, the hall became less and less noisy. People retired to their dorms and homes for the night, many of them rather tipsy, if not outright hammered.

  Others seemed prepared to take their work on that night, some of them having volunteered as city watchmen. Others had commissions that needed them to start their journeys immediately.

  I saw the receptionists change shifts. These halls stayed open all hours of the day and night, ensuring everyone had easy access to their local problem solvers. By this point, I’d become strangely acquainted with the receptionists, in spite of rarely talking.

  Mostly because I’d always ask the same question. And today was no different.

  I stood myself up from my seat, and pulled myself to the counter once more. I looked at one of the receptionists, staring into her irises, before going through the same motions. “Anything?”

  The receptionist kindly looked at me, took a moment to process my face, before giving me a practiced smile. “Nothing yet, I’m afraid.”

  The answer I expected to hear. “Thanks for keeping up, anyways.” I gave a thankful nod, and a smile of gratitude.

  I took myself back to my seat to while away the hours with my companions, Hoffman and Kamba getting drunk alongside Bianca and Davi, while Runa and I simply sat in their company. I occasionally watched as they made bets, acted without their filters. Insulting each other, and occasionally dragging myself, and my anxious companion into their conversation’s clutches.

  I didn’t hate talking, I simply hated annoyances. But perhaps, they weren’t as annoying as I made them out to be. Perhaps, I should be thankful for what I still had.

  My gaze trailed out the window. Beyond these walls sat an old home. Now lying dormant, and still.

  Perhaps these were the best family I could find. Perhaps the Guild itself filled the void. As my mind continued to trail back towards thoughts of my past, what I felt I now missed and lacked, I’d always be drawn back to them.

  Now, even Elma entered my thoughts alongside the other three.

  My search continued throughout the wilds, for closure. But, maybe, it didn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Maybe I could find some small solace in between these people.

  Perhaps with them, I wouldn’t lose the hope I hung onto.

  It came time to retire to our dorms and homes for the night. Hoffman went to his apartment with Runa, Kamba scurried off to her own home, Davi and Bianca headed elsewhere, while I retired to my room.

  When I got back to my room to retire for the evening, I noticed something had been stuffed into my inbox. Odd, considering people rarely sent me gifts. I removed my key, and unlocked it, before noticing a wrapped package. Clearly a booklet.

  I opened it, and it seemed to be an introductory course to Alchemy. A note attached read, ‘In case you wanted to learn a thing or two from me. I already have it all copied, feel free to keep it.’

  “Pfft.” I tucked it into one of my pack’s pockets for later. Another addition to my idle reading collection.

  I then unlocked my door, and headed inside.

  A Lost Haul, and I hope to make it an exciting dungeon crawl.